Tactical Lights? Too many choices!

[THE CORONER]

Been ebaying, and googling tactical flashlights to mount on my carbine.  Learning alot, but I'm itching to buy.  From what I'm understanding, the more lumens, the more distance in concentrated beam of light.  But how much is enough to get out to say 100 yards, or more?  I know I'm not going to shoot that far tactically speaking; but I want the ability to see that far with a consistent beam of light. 

I have bookmarked a couple of 900 Lumen flashlights at around $35-$40 with free shipping.  But like everything else nowadays, there from China.  Alot of them stateside, are bought by vendors from China as well, and are being sold alot of times for up to $30-$40 more for the same flashlight the Chinese are selling online.  American made lights are often priced higher yet.

I have read alot of pros vs. cons on several of the lights; but alot of the lights just have different components than others, but are relatively the same shell, or differ little.  So with these little differences come different names like Aurora, Ultrafire, Foxfury, Spiderfire, etc...  But they claim to use the same components, or names of them.  "Q2,3,4,5; P7 B OR C, OR ETC...-2,3,4,5,ETC....  Some have 1 led, others 5, or 7, or more....  2 modes, 3 modes, 5 modes, 8 modes, etc....  So many differences, so many choices?

I think I'm going to purchase the 900 lumen flashlight I found for about $36.  The shipping is free, from, you guessed it.....China!  It's by far the best deal money wise, and the reviews have been more positive overall.

Has anyone else who's been shopping for a tact light for their rifle(s) been able to get a better deal?

I'm just wondering, cuz I'm ready to buy.  Is there any help out there?   

[fightingquaker13]

Amen my brother. Once again you manage to be a voice of common sense on this forum. I remember when a tactical flashlight was a 3 D cell mag light you could bash someone over the head with. I own two. However I am impressed by some of the new lights claims and am willing to sullenly shuffle into the 21st century. I don't want to have become a gear geek to understand flashlights though. Why in my day you put the batteries in and pushed the button...and we liked it! If you could give us a range report on your light, maybe a photo and tell us how well it does off your weapon, if its easily dismounted just as flashlight that would be cool.
FQ13 pouring rum into his metamucil

[m25operator]

Coroner, 900lumens? for 40 bucks? I'll take 3, if they only work once. 

900 lumens will light up just about anything, thats more output than vehicles with normal halogen headlamps.

Give us a link so we can check it out for you.  Now 90 lumens, I could easily believe. I would expect a chinese 900 lumen lamp to take a 12 volt car battery.

[THE CORONER]

Coroner, 900lumens? for 40 bucks? I'll take 3, if they only work once. 

900 lumens will light up just about anything, thats more output than vehicles with normal halogen headlamps.

Give us a link so we can check it out for you.  Now 90 lumens, I could easily believe. I would expect a chinese 900 lumen lamp to take a 12 volt car battery.

Take a look, and let me know what you think?  And if you buy 3....send me one okay?

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623

[fightingquaker13]

Coroner, 900lumens? for 40 bucks? I'll take 3, if they only work once. 

900 lumens will light up just about anything, thats more output than vehicles with normal halogen headlamps.

Give us a link so we can check it out for you.  Now 90 lumens, I could easily believe. I would expect a chinese 900 lumen lamp to take a 12 volt car battery.

How do lumens compare to candle power? what does it mean in real effectiveness?
FQ13

[Sponsor]

[THE CORONER]

How do lumens compare to candle power? what does it mean in real effectiveness?
FQ13

From what I understand...A single lumen is equal to a single birthday candle.
Here's the best explaination I've found Quaker:

http://www.lightsandknives.com/led_lumens_flashlight.htm

[philw]

Take a look, and let me know what you think?  And if you buy 3....send me one okay?

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623

hmm   might have to have a look further in to that,   would be interesting to see what they are like compared to my Wolf Eyes Sniper torch

[1776 Rebel]

I suspect the 900 lumen thing is a typo. Really...if no other legit tac light manufacturer can make a hand held 900 lumen light do you think some Chinese shop can do it for 36 dollars? Nah...

UPDATE:

hmmm...I may have to eat a little crow....seems that there are threads out there on a class of LED that really does seem to put out quite a bit of light measured in lumens....But again I am wondering why no Surefire product if it is proven technology? See the following threads (your gonna have to excuse the EXTREME Geekyness in this stuff, but these guys are as much into Lights as we are into guns   )

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=188451

http://flashlightnews.net/forum/index.php?topic=858.0

[Overload]

There are factors other than brightness to consider: pattern, throw, color, run time, heat.